Finally! Someone from a European something-insitution decided top take up the issue “Austerity measures and Human Rights.” In a multi-page report, Nils Muiznieks, Commissioner for Human Rights at the Council of Europe stresses that people, especially children are the victims in the altar of austerity measures and criticizes the European Union and the international lenders for composing bailout programs and loan agreements without taking into consideration the human factor and the protection of basic human rights for social protection, health and education.

Nils Muiznieks criticizes many of the European governments that imposed austerity measures that “they have forgotten their obligations to respect human rights, and particularly to protect the social and economic rights of the most vulnerable groups of the population . ”
At the same time, the commissioner denounces the behavior of international lenders stressing that they “failed to include the issues of human rights protection in many of the assistance programs implemented in European countries.”

In the research work of the Commission, which refers to the impact of its implementation of austerity measures on human rights, Muiznieks underlines also that

“national decisions on austerity measures and international bailouts lack transparency, public participation and democratic accountability. In some cases the onerous conditions prevented governments to invest in key programs of social protection , health and education.”

Muiznieks blames the EU -as a key factor to address the crisis and take decisions in economic governance – and the Troika for putting down conditions for bailouts and loan agreements without taking into account the impact of austerity measures on human rights.

“They should have had better take into account the impact of austerity measures on human rights, ” he emphasizes.

He describes the devastating consequences of the implementation of austerity measures on vulnerable population groups, especially children and young people.

” Youth unemployment in Europe has reached record levels, while millions of families are suffering the consequences of the cuts to children’s aids and family benefits , health care and education.

The number of children who leave school to find work and support their families is increasing, thus creating the conditions of reappear of exploitation of child labor.”

The Commissioner stresses the urgent need to revitalize the European social model , which should be based on the foundations of human dignity , solidarity between generations and access to justice for all.

“Governments should make it a priority to reduce youth unemployment and to defend the social protection of long-term unemployed during the crisis,” concludes Commissioner Nils Muiznieks . (via protothema in GR and @Nils Muiznieks )

BTW: The CoE Commissioner seems to be unaware of the fact that the IMF strikes the health care first of all in order to get rid of the vulnerable. That’s traditional practices.

Οn 1. December 2013, Sara died from carbon monoxide poisoning when her mother put fire on a brazier so that the two could warm up in an apartment without electricity due to unemployment and debts in Thessaloniki, Northern Greece. Sara was only 13 years old.

PS Fine and good is Muiznieks’ report to finally talk about the things we have been talking about since three years. But I still have to ask him: “And?”

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